Background: The importance of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) for the development of PI is now well accepted, but quantity and quality of the dietary LCP is controversial. Objectives: Measure dietary intake, fecal ouput and percentage of intestinal absorption (PCT·ABS) of DHA and ARA in healthy PI fed exclusively PHM (n=16), or formulas (i) without LCP (Regular, n=18),(ii) with LCP deriving from phospholipids (PL·LCP, n=15) and (iii) LCP from triglycerides (TG·LCP, n=16). Methods: Seventy-two hour metabolic balances and gaschromatographic determination of dietary and fecal fatty acids Results: Mean(±SD) birth weight and gestational age of the 65 PI were 1.12±0.31kg and 29.8±2.2 wks, clinical data of the 4 groups at birth and at the study (1 Mo. of age) were similar (not shown). Main results are in table: Significant differences (p<0.05) have different superscripts. Conclusions: DHA PCT·ABS was greater from PL·LCP formula than from TG·LCP. PCT·ABS from TG·LCP formula were closer to those of PHM.

Table 1
Full size table